Recognizing, Honoring, And Celebrating The Parent Patrol At Simon Gratz High School - For Their Innovative Efforts To Address The Violence That Is Plaguing Our Schools And Communities - By Patrolling The School And Areas In Close Proximity And Through The Use Of Walkie Talkies.

WHEREAS, In the City of Philadelphia the total number of victims of homicides is nearing the 300 mark, many of the victims being age 17 and younger; and

WHEREAS, There are close to 2,000 known offenses that involve some type of firearm this year; and

WHEREAS, Out of the City’s 185 homicides in the first half of 2006 82% were from handguns, 80% of the victims were African American, 89% were male, and 38% were between the ages of 18 and 24; and

WHEREAS, Nationwide, of reported homicides, 10% were juveniles and 36% of those were female; from 1980-2002, 3 of 4 murder victims between the ages of 15 and 17 were killed with a firearm; and

WHEREAS, With violence constantly an issue in and around our inner-city schools, these brave parents decided to take a stand for the future of the children in their community; and

WHEREAS, The Parent Patrol started at Gratz High School in January of 2006 under the area’s Town Watch, with Selena Johnson as the Director of the Program; and

WHEREAS, These Parents are only asked to volunteer for three-hour shifts per day, but have instead, generously committed themselves to a full work day of nine to four, patrolling from Hunting Park to Germantown and Erie Streets; and

WHEREAS, In these times it is paramount that parents display courage and dedication to protecting our youth, not only to secure their young lives, but to show them what a role model is and what can be accomplished through hard work; and

WHEREAS, The Brave Parent Patrol Workers are Selena Johnson, Heather Smith, Eugenia Harris, Melva Anderson, Devery Moore, Cynthia Geiger, Audrey Ross, Rosemary Benjamin, Diane Washington, Crystal Bryant, and Cydney Cook; now therefore

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That City Council Hereby Recognizes, Honors, And Celebrates The Parent Patrol At Simon Gratz High School — For Their Innovative Efforts To Address The Violence That Is Plaguing Our Schools And Communities — By Patrolling The School And Areas In Close Proximity And Through The Use Of Walkie Talkies.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Selena Johnson as further evidences the sincere admiration and gratitude of this legislative body.

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